Wringer

ABSTRACT

A wringer for expressing liquids from moist textile materials having rigid supporting cylinders which support an elastic hollow wringing cylinder wherein the wringing cylinder is provided with inserts of low expansibility wherein these inserts rotate in the casing of the wringing cylinder.

United States Patent 1 1 1 1 3,798,933 Rotter 1451 Mar. 26, 1974 [54] WRINGER 3,586,602 (#1971 Schmidt 29/113 R 3,293,121 121966 M 29 113 R 75 Inventor: Erhard r. Rotter, Dusseldorf, M72313 3x965 fffff 1 30/172 Germany 1,767,788 6/1930 Francis 100/172 [73] Assignee: Hans F. Arendt, Bleichinsel,

Germany Primary Examiner-Leon G. Machlin [22] Filed: May 3, 1972 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Revere B. Gurley [21] Appl. No.: 249,784

' 57 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 68/248, 100/172 1 51 Int. (:1. D06f 45/00, B30b 3/04 A Winger for expressing liquids from moist textile [58] Fleld of Search 68/248 5; terials having rigid supporting cylinders which support l0O/l55, 157, 160, 163, 164, 165, 169, 170, an elastic hollow wringing cylinder wherein the wring- 172; 29/113 R1 116 126; 162/358 359 ing cylinder is provided with inserts of low expansibilv I ity wherein these inserts rotate in the casing of the [56] References Cited wringing cylinder UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,707,749 1/1973 Henley 29/113 R 2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED HARZS i974 SHEET 2 BF 2 Fig. 5

WRINGER This invention relates to a wringer for expressing liquids from moist textile webs such as laundry webs. The wringer comprises a rigid supporting cylinder and elastic wringing cylinders and is provided with a drive mechanism.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the disadvantages caused by undesirable deformations of the cylinders due to torsion, friction, and other effccts which result in damage to textile materials passed through prior wringers. Another object is to provide an improved wringing cylinder. According to the present invention, the wringing cylinder is provided with an insert of low expansibility. Furthermore, the wringing cylinder is continuously deformed by externally applied pressure such that even when the wringing cylinders are long, as in the case of padding cylinders, a wringing pressure is uniformly exerted over the entire length 'of the cylinder. v

The inserts within the wringing cylinder also aid in the prevention of torsion with transverse connections or transverse reinforcements between individual peripheral elements such that the latter cannot be displaced when normal stress is applied.

A further advantage of the present invention is achieved by employing supporting cylinders having a length shorter than that of the pressure portion of the wringing cylinder. This results in more uniform power transmission since the ends of the wringing cylinders are generally less pressure-sensitive than the pressure portion of the wringing cylinder. In one embodiment of the present invention the wringing cylinder is provided with a charge of air or liquid under pneumatic or hydraulic pressure. Furthermore, undesirable destruction of'the textile material is avoided.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a wringer which will gently wring textile materials. This is achieved in the present invention by providing driving means to the supporting cylinders such that these cylinders absorb the same energy and thus are not disproportionately loaded. This inhibits damage to the textile material. This is accomplished according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention by providing a hydraulic motor for each driving motor. The hydraulic motor is provided with a common source of energy such as a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump is preferably driven by a direct current motor having a series-connected armature.

The invention is explained in greater detail by reference to the following drawings wherein:

FIG. I is a cross-sectional view of the wringer of the present invention employing three supporting cylinders and one wringing cylinder;

FIG. II is a sectional view of the wringer of FIG. I taken along Lines IIII of FIG. I;

FIG. "I is a sectional view of a wringer of the present invention employing two wringing cylinders and four supporting cylinders;

FIG. IV is a sectional view of the wringer of FIG. III taken along Line IV-IV of FIG. III;

FIG. V is a schematic representation showing the driving means of the wringer of FIGS. III and IV;

FIG. VI is a schematic representation showing the driving means of the wringer of FIGS. I and II.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. I and II, there is shown a centrally mounted wringing cylinder 11 and three rigid supporting cylinders 12, 13, and 14 arranged around the cylinder 11. The cylinders 12, 13, and 14 are pressed into the soft elastic casing 15 of the cylinder 11 to such an extent that transverse pressure is continuously maintained, notwithstanding (l) the length of the cylinders, (2) their axial deformation and (3) differences in thickness of the laundrymaterial introduced between the wringer 11 and the cylinders 12, 13, 14.

The freely running, non-supported, hollow wringing cylinder 11 with the casing 15 is closed by end plugs 16, 16. A pneumatic or hydraulic pressure of 5 to 20 atmospheres prevails inside the cylinder 11. In order to strengthen the casing 15, the latter is provided with a wound reinforcement 17. This reinforcement 17 shown in FIG. II comprises a metal wire. Individual double-eye transverse clamps 18 are provided within the cylinder 11 by any convenient means as by being soldered. The

clamps 18 are between the windings 17. The cylinder 11 can be formed from a section of reinforced pressure hose.

The length 19 of supporting cylinders 12, I3, and 14 is shorter than the length 20 of the pressurized portion of the cylinder 11. This arrangement is especially advantageous when wringing long webs.

Referring now to FIGS. III and IV, there is shown a wringer having two wringing cylinders 21, 22, and four supporting cylinders 23, 23', 24, 24'. The cylinders 23, 23', 24, 24' penetrate into the soft elastic wringing cylinders 21, 22. The cylinders 21, 22 are journaled in bearings 25, 25', 26, 26' which are respectively slideably mounted on shafts 25", 26". The supporting cylinders 23, 23', 24, 24' are rotably mounted in fixed bearing 27, 28. The supporting cylinders 23, 23', 24, 24 displace the wringing cylinders 21, 22 eccentrically with respect to each other. Similar to the manner shown in FIG. II the length 19' of the representative cylinder 23' is less than the pressure portion of the wringing cylinders 21, 22'. The wringer shown in FIGS. III and IV is especially suitable to serve as a laundry press.

Referring now to FIG. V there is shown the means of driving the wringer of FIG. IV. The cylinders 23, 24 are driven by means of gears 31, 31' by hydraulic motors 32, 32'. As an alternative embodiment, all four supporting cylinders, 23, 23', 24, 24' can be similarly driven. The hydraulic motors 32, 32' have a common hydraulic pump 33 which in turn is driven by any convenient means such as an electric shunt motor 34.

By virtue of the structure of the present invention, a balancing of drive energy for supporting cylinders 23 and 24 is achieved if the rotation of cylinders 21 or 22 is delayed by the laundry web 30. An overload of supporting cylinders 23' or 24' or wringing cylinder 21 or 22 is thereby avoided.

Referring now to FIG. VI there is shown a wringer of the present invention useful as a padding apparatus. The web 29 of a textile material undergoes three wringing operations as it passes first through the nip between the roller 11 and the roller 14, second through the nip between the roller 11 and the roller 12, and third through the nip between the roller 11 and the roller 13. In the embodiment shown, the rollers 12, 13, and 14 are all driven individually. A balancing of the drive is produced by the hydraulic drive motors 32, 32'. 32" and their respective gears 31, 31', 31". The drive motors 32, 32', 32" have a common hydraulic pump 33 which in turn is driven by a motor 34 In this case a power balancing is achieved since the hydraulic fluid flows preferably to the hydraulic motor having the least resistance. Thus, the textile web is gently treated and the shafts of the cylinders l2, l3, and 14 are not deformed.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that modifications can be made within the spirit and scope of the present invention as described above and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wringer for expressing liquids from moist textile webs which comprises a plurality of rigid supporting cylinders and a soft elastic hollow wringing cylinder, said soft elastic hollow wringing cylinder being provided with reinforcement of low expansibility such that said reinforcement lies within the wringing cylinder and rotates therewith wherein the wringing cylinder is supported only by the supporting cylinders wherein the improvement comprises: an hydraulic power source comprising 1. an hydraulic pump and 2. a plurality of hydraulic motors being linked to said hydraulic pump by means of parallel paths such that each hydraulic motor is mechanically coupled to one corresponding supporting cylinder, wherein said hydrualic pump provides hydraulic power, through said parallel paths, to each of said hydraulic motors whichindividually convert said hydrualic power into rotary power which is imparted to the corresponding supporting cylinder, so that rotary power imparted by each hydraulic motor to the corresponding supporting cylinder is balanced with the rotary power imparted by each other hydrualic motor to each other corresponding supporting cylinder. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hydraulic pump is driven by a DC shunt wound electric motor with series connected armaturcs.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,798,933 Dated March 26, 1974 Inventor(s) ERHARD F. ROTTER It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 1, lines 20-21, delete "wherein the wringing Cylinder is supported only by the supporting cylinders,

and insert, said wringing cylinder being in contact with said supporting cylinders for pressing a web passed between said cylinders Column 4, lines 8, 11 and 16, correct the spelling of "hydrgglic".

Signed and sealed this 17th day of September 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. In a wringer for expressing liquids from moist textile webs which comprises a plurality of rigid supporting cylinders and a soft elastic hollow wringing cylinder, said soft elastic hollow wringing cylinder being provided with reinforcement of low expansibility such that said reinforcement lies within the wringing cylinder and rotates therewith wherein the wringing cylinder is supported only by the supporting cylinders wherein the improvement comprises: an hydraulic power source comprising
 1. an hydraulic pump and
 2. a plurality of hydraulic motors being linked to said hydraulic pump by means of parallel paths such that each hydraulic motor is mechanically coupled to one corresponding supporting cylinder, wherein said hydrualic pump provides hydraulic power, through said parallel paths, to each of said hydraulic motors which individually convert said hydrualic power into rotary power which is imparted to the corresponding supporting cylinder, so that rotary power imparted by each hydraulic motor to the corresponding supporting cylinder is balanced with the rotary power imparted by each other hydrualic motor to each other corresponding supporting cylinder.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hydraulic pump is driven by a DC shunt wound electric motor with series connected armatures.
 2. a plurality of hydraulic motors being linked to said hydraulic pump by means of parallel paths such that each hydraulic motor is mechanically coupled to one corresponding supporting cylinder, wherein said hydrualic pump provides hydraulic power, through said parallel paths, to each of said hydraulic motors which individually convert said hydrualic power into rotary power which is imparted to the corresponding supporting cylinder, so that rotary power imparted by each hydraulic motor to the corresponding supporting cylinder is balanced with the rotary power imparted by each other hydrualic motor to each other corresponding supporting cylinder. 